SAULT STE. MARIE — The goalie came out of the locker room wearing a superhero's cape with the Lake Superior State University logo stitched on the back. Fitting, because junior goalie Kevin Kapalka will need to keep putting up superhero performances while the Lakers' young players adjust to their new roles.

The Lakers in previous years have awarded a hard hat to a player when they go to ring the Hoholik/Husband Victory Bell in front of Taffy Abel Arena after a win. And in the first game, Kapalka came out with the cape after stopping 27 shots in a 2-1 exhibition win over Ryerson.

With 11 underclassmen in the lineup for the Lakers on Saturday, it will take some time before everybody is up to speed in their new roles, meaning an increased load on Kapalka.

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Coach Jim Roque said the Lakers are changing their defensive systems to give Kapalka more help around the net and get these types of low-scoring wins the Lakers had trouble with last season.

The Lakers were 14-1-1 when scoring at least three goals last season, but just 4-16-4 when scoring less than three goals.

"The guys are just going to have to accept that it might be like this for a little while," Roque said. "We have a great goalie, I like our D a lot, we have to play to our strengths and that's going to be taking care of the net. Hopefully the guys buy in to that.

"We have to get shots on net. We have to get as much opportunity at the net as we can to try and get to three goals. But we have to find a way to win the 2-1 games."

Kapalka played all 60 minutes, uncommon for a starting goalie in an exhibition game. Backup goalie Niels-Erik Ravn dressed, and Kevin Murdock was a scratch. Kapalka took a step back statistically from his phenomenal freshman season, but was still a workhorse and put up some impressive numbers — his 1,058 saves were one shy of the school single-season record — but he is still gaining attention as one of the country's top goaltenders. He was named to the CCHA All-Preseason Team, and USCHO.com named him as one of the country's top goaltenders.

"When it comes down to it, if we're going to be successful we need to have great goaltending," Roque said last week. "Kapalka was good last season. This season we need him to be great. And it's always been that way for Laker hockey, from Jeff Jakaitis all the way back to Bruce Hoffert."

Kapalka was stellar in the first period, stopping an early breakaway from Ryerson's Jamie Haines, skating across the crease to snag a rebound, and sprawling to grab a puck just before it crossed the red line.

Page 2 of 2 - "We obviously got out to a really bumpy start, but you have to expect that," Kapalka said. "I thought after that we kind of settled down and did a good job."

Kapalka said he expects Ravn and Murdock to put up a fight in practice to get some playing time — "it's not going to be easy to keep that status quo. There's going to be a lot of pushing on their part. You can expect to see Murdock and Niels playing some more," Kapalka said — but Roque is more than happy to give his No. 1 all the playing time he needs.

"I think it's important to get Kevin out to a good start," Roque said. "He's a goalie that seems to like work. He's not a guy that likes to play game on, game off. I'd like to get him off to a good start. It wasn't like Ryerson only had 10 shots; he had to make some saves. It was really good for Kevin."

Kapalka said he feels much better this season after being able to spend all summer working out at a university in his hometown of Mississauga, Ont. He couldn't do that last summer because he was recovering from surgery.

"I definitely do feel better physically," Kapalka said. "Just being able to work out everyday and be consistent every day, it let me do another things too all summer. This summer I got to work and work out and get a nice little routine going. That helped prepare me mentally for school and especially for hockey."

Chris Ciotti scored at the 14:00 mark of the second to give the Lakers a 1-0 lead, and Ryerson tied it up less than 2 minutes later on an Andrew Buck goal off a power-play rebounds.

Dan Radke had the game-winning goal at the 12:21 mark of the third, banging home a Domenic Monardo shot that rang off the post.

The Lakers put five forwards on the first power-play unit, but Roque said that won't stay. Saturday was the first day coaches were allowed on the ice, and the five-forward play was something the players had done during coaches' practices.

"We'll spend some time on power play this week. You probably won't see that same look on Thursday," Roque said. "We're going to have a different look. I had to put something together for the game, though."

The Lakers open regular-season play Thursday at home against Michigan Tech.